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1966 Tennessee gubernatorial election

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1966 Tennessee gubernatorial election

← 1962 November 8, 1966 1970 →
 
Nominee Buford Ellington H.L. Crowder Charlie Moffett
Party Democratic Independent Independent
Popular vote 532,998 64,602 50,221
Percentage 81.18% 9.84% 7.65%

County results
Ellington:      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90%

Governor before election

Frank G. Clement
Democratic

Elected Governor

Buford Ellington
Democratic

The 1966 Tennessee gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1966, to elect the next governor of Tennessee. Incumbent Democratic governor Frank G. Clement was term-limited and was prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking another term. Former Democratic governor Buford Ellington defeated both independent candidates H.L. Crowder and Charlie Moffett with 81.2% of the vote.

In the primary, Ellington he defeated John Jay Hooker, who was a friend of former governor Gordon Browning, and had been endorsed by the Nashville Tennessean.[1] Ellington was endorsed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and the Nashville Banner.

Tensions grew between Governor Frank G. Clement and Ellington leading up to the general election, as Ellington refused to endorse Clement in his U.S. Senate primary campaign against Ross Bass.[1] Clement attempted to spend the state's budget surplus to ensure the Ellington administration did not inherit it.[2]

Primary elections

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Primary elections were held on August 4, 1966.[3] 32.5% of the voting age population participated in the Democratic primary.[4]

Democratic primary

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Candidates

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Results

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Democratic primary results[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Buford Ellington 413,950 53.48%
Democratic John Jay Hooker 360,105 46.52%
Total votes 774,055 100.00%

General election

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Candidates

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Major party candidate

  • Buford Ellington, Democratic

Other candidates

  • H.L. Crowder, Independent
  • Charlie Moffett, Independent
  • Charles Gordon Vick, Independent

Results

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1966 Tennessee gubernatorial election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Buford Ellington 532,998 81.18%
Independent H.L. Crowder 64,602 9.84%
Independent Charlie Moffett 50,221 7.65%
Independent Charles Gordon Vick 8,407 1.28%
Write-in 338 0.05%
Majority 532,998
Turnout 656,566
Democratic hold Swing

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Phillip Langsdon, Tennessee: A Political History (Franklin, Tenn.: Hillsboro Press, 2000), pp. 366-372.
  2. ^ Vaughn May, "Buford Ellington," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2009. Retrieved: 29 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b Guide to U.S. elections - CQ Press, Congressional Quarterly, inc. CQ Press. 2005. ISBN 9781568029818. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  4. ^ Steed, Moreland & Baker 1980, p. 22.
  5. ^ Cook, Rhodes (October 26, 2017). America Votes 32: 2015-2016, Election Returns by State - Rhodes Cook. ISBN 9781506368993. Retrieved March 4, 2019.

Works cited

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